Things resonating this week:
Can We Put an End to America’s Most Dangerous Myth? There’s some pretty stiff competition for the title of “America’s Most Dangerous Myth,” but this one is surely a contender. I think my life’s biggest regret is moving away from my extended family. My greatest hope is to build a retirement life within a web of familial interdependence (with “family” being any who, when you have to go them, have to take you in)
All True at Once (TW: suicide) A poem of an essay, with a question that I am now, like the writer, carrying inside my chest: What if it’s all true at once?
My Author Photo Brought Me Face to Face with the Body I Hated I love how honest this piece is. I have things to say about how I struggle to accept my body as it is, but I’m not ready to say them today.
Cocaine Bear Kerry Russell’s portrayal of a mother in this gross, hilarious (I laughed out loud when a teenager got his head shot off, and I’m not really sure how they made that funny, but it was) romp of a movie is what I needed to see this weekend.
False Witness Not your typical violent crime thriller. I mean, she’s got a blurb from Stacey Abrams. Had a creepy encounter with a creepy man this week, and I wish I had more Leigh Collier in me.
Unlikely Animals Gilmore Girlsesque vibes with so much more important things to say. (Haven’t finished it yet, but it kept me good company on a day with nearly 8 hours of driving this week.)
We’re Book Nerds… Maybe someday. And if not me, I’m glad for these other women.
I think the Most Dangerous Myth article is bang on, and I applaud the author for writing it. Sending you love, Rita, for what I read earlier.
Thank you, Marian, for the love. Always appreciated. I think she’s bang on, too.
I was just talking to friends about Cocaine Bear. It sounds 100% not my thing but your description is making me question my knee jerk reaction.
All True At Once was so beautiful, and made me cry.
I have a lot of feelings and thoughts about American’s Greatest Myth. More than I can write into a comment late at night the day Daylight Saving kicks off. Maybe I’ll make it into a blog post. I’ve been feeling it’s time for a soap box one!
I’ll come back to some of the other links hopefully tomorrow. Was good to see you here. Don’t like the sounds of your creepy encounter but I want to read about Leigh Collier now. (Or don’t.) Hope you are well!!
Your knee jerk reaction to Cocaine Bear was mine, but in the moment it worked for me. You’d probably have to be in the right mood. It’s super-campy and spoofed the kind of movies I remember from the 80s (the setting for the story). Although it never felt real, I did turn away multiple times, and I ended up caring about several of the characters.
You know I love your soapbox posts. 🙂 I’d love to hear your extended thoughts on the topic.
Karin Slaughter books are the opposite of cozy mysteries. I really dislike gratuitous violence. These books contain violence–often disturbing violence–but it never feel gratuitous to me, somehow. Only one, and I didn’t finish that one. So, be warned and know that I’m not blanket-recommending her work or even the books I’ve liked for everyone. This particular book is pretty horrific. I don’t know why I’m OK with it, tbh.
“I would have to be a brand. A trap and a lie, of course, but enough to awaken the voice that lived to hijack milestones and turn them into diet countdowns. I started to believe that people wouldn’t buy books with my face on the jacket.”
The topic of author photos is interesting. It’s something I’ve pondered for a few years, since selfies made their debut in our world. Are there authors who refuse to put their photos out there? I mean, 100 years ago a book was hailed successful without anyone knowing what the author looked like and that makes sense to me. A book is about the words and thoughts, not the perfect image of the writer. At least that’s how I figure it.
Wish that the selling of books were only about the quality of the word-strings, but that sure isn’t the world we are living in now, is it? Same with music, I think. But the key word is “selling.” It’s pretty hard these days to even get a book deal if you don’t have a platform with a significant following, so the concern is not without validity. If you don’t care a lot about selling, you can probably do it differently. Maybe.
For my birthday next month, I’m requesting a subscription to the New York Times. I should just give in and buy one for myself. There are so many wonderful articles (and recipes) that are behind a paywall. Sigh.
Someone mentioned Cocaine Bear to me last weekend. I can’t believe I’ve heard it twice this week. Does the Universe really want me to watch it? 🤣
I read the article about friends opening a bookstore. LOVE.
These types of posts are my favorite. Thank you for sharing. Now I’m off to read…
I know there’s a paywall 🙁 I do have a subscription, and I use it every day. It’s a much better way for me to get news than other options. I can control the flow of information easily. You can usually get beyond a paywall by opening an incognito window, I think.
I don’t know if the universe wants you to watch Cocaine Bear. Although I do think you would appreciate the character of the mother. Cocaine Bear is no match for a mama bear. Even one in a pink jumpsuit and mid-80’s Reeboks. 🙂